The Daily Tribune – ‘Bongbong’ seeks inquiry into deadly road mishaps

Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has filed a resolution in the upper chamber seeking an inquiry into the most recent tragic vehicular accident where a speeding bus fell off the southbound of the Skyway, killing at least 18 of its passengers.

The called probe, however, will also cover other deadly road mishaps in the past, the senator said as the proceedings are aimed at providing the upper chamber needed information “for purposes of future legislation and amendments to existing traffic and transportation laws.”

“What is unfortunate is that this kind of senseless death could have been avoided by proper implementation of, or compliance with, basic traffic and transport safety rules,” Marcos said in filing resolution 334.

The senator was referring to the enforcement of a 53-year-old rule and legislative policy embodied in the Civil Code (R.A. 386), which requires common carriers to always observe extraordinary diligence in the carriage and transport of passengers and goods.

“There is an imperative need for Congress to check on the status of implementation and enforcement of said legislative rule and policy to assess and evaluate the effectiveness of the Philippine government in confronting and addressing the matter of safety and security in our public transport system, roadways, pedestrian lanes, and other related infrastructures,” Marcos said in the resolution.

He added the inquiry is timely not only because of the Skyway tragedy but also because of a spate of similar vehicular accidents in the past like the mishap on Maharlika Highway in Atimonan, Quezon, the Cebu marine disaster and other minor accidents in airports and runways.

A speeding Don Mariano Transit bus fell off the southbound land of the Skyway and crashed on a van below along the South Luzon Expressway in Taguig City around 5 a.m. last December 16, killing at least 18 people.

Marcos said the Senate probe will require the Department of Transportation and Communications, the Department of Interior and Local Government, the Philippine National Police and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority to report on the implementation of traffic and transportation regulations, especially with regard to common carriers.